a farewell to snow in summer

Well, yesterday morning around 10, one of our little guys passed away. His name was Snow, and he was a sandy-coloured rat.

Now, before you think “rat” with all its negative connotations, you have to keep in mind that the rats we have (had) as pets are laboratory rats which have been bred for over a hundred years to be gentle and friendly and cute as a button - well except for the tail which you get used to.

I spent the last four days trying to get Snow to take antibiotics (for rats) in his yogourt. He ate some, but most of the time he just wanted to be held.

I sort of knew yesterday morning, when he wouldn’t eat anything at all, that the end was near. A few hours later he died while I was comforting him by petting his hair.

Yes, I cried. Me, the callus brute.

So did my wife and offspring.

He is buried now in our back garden beside Harry (another pet rat, one of our originals) and yesterday was pretty much a sad day.

Well, Fluffy (our last rat) is still alive and kicking and I can see he misses his rat buddy Snow very much already, but we are not getting any more.

Old Fluffy will just have to survive with us as his only friends until it’s his time too.

Well as much as I don’t like snow in summer, I sure wish we could of had more of him this year.